I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for treating contaminated groundwater and process effluent and, more particularly, to a system and method for removing heavy metals from water.
II. Prior Art
In the past, certain industries have used heavy metals, such as hexavalent chromium, in certain industrial processes. Although heavy metal compositions generally enjoy wide spread industrial usage, their residues are objectionable from an environmental standpoint to the extent that they form an objectionable constituent of the waste water effluent. The use of heavy metal compositions, especially chromates, is, however, essential to many industrial operations. Although various types of methods and processes have been used in the past to remove heavy metals, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,485, such processes have generally only been used with treating direct industrial waste.
A problem has arisen in that although modern environmental protection laws help to prevent industrial waste having heavy metals contained therein from being discharged without being treated, accidents, illegalities, and discharges which occurred prior to environmental protection laws having been enacted are allowing heavy metal compositions to enter and contaminate fresh water supplies in nearby aquifers.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a groundwater treatment system for removing, or at least reducing, heavy metal compositions from groundwater.
It is another objective of the present invention to provide a system for removing heavy metal contaminants from water using a batch process which nevertheless is capable of providing relatively constant and uniform removal.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a system for removing heavy metals from water that can be used for both direct industrial process waste water as well as contaminated groundwater.